Other weather scientists say it’s fair to call it a fire tornado because of its strength and destructiveness.

What is a fire tornado?

The scientific phenomenon can form from extreme temperatures like the ones northern California is experiencing from the wildfires.

When the hot air rises above the fire, more fresh, oxygenated air rushes in. The column of air above the fire can then start to rotate much like a tornado. Officials say the northern California fire has destroyed more than 1,000 homes, making it the sixth most destructive fire in the state’s history.